I have very, very, very limited experience of scooter riding. I used to borrow my brother's occasionally and it happened during one of those 1960's winters when there was a lot of snow. My abiding memory of this is of lying in the road with a scooter by my side - luckily in a quiet part of the world where there was not much traffic. ie scooters are deadly in snow/ice!!
He loved it in summer though!! and I never got the chance to borrow it then!
By the way mare, thanks for directions you posted re my trip to Bath last week - conference was at the Hilton actually, but directions you sent very useful. Quite an interesting trip through the Cotswolds - bit of snow which obviously caught out a few motorists - including a Discovery which had gone through a hedge and overturned!! Good job he wasn't on a scooter!!
Phil
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If you are rural(ish) see if you can get free training and gear.
www.countryside.gov.uk/WhoWeAreAndWhatWeDo/pressCe...p
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I have read a test report which put the Peugeot Vivacity Basic top of the bunch in your price ballpark (£1500). It was an independant report (not mfrs blurb) and spoke very highly of it's stability, accelleration, comfort and, performance on hills. The engine is just 50cc so I suppose that is the reason why (like all 50cc scooters?) it's top speed is 27mph but that is a lot faster than cars move in queues, will ensure that you do not feature on speed cameras and, if you do come off (I came off my Lambretta five times on wet/icy roads), you may, like me, live to tell the tale!
You might expect anything from Honda to be amongst the front runners (and I am a Honda fan) and at less than £1500 the 'Lead' sounds rather tempting but, beware, it got an awful write-up.
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Thanks, but i don't fancy riding a 50 wobbling along a dual carriageway....
Anyone got any views on whether Japanese or Italian bikes are better. I can get a good deal on a Piaggio, but i know nothing about them.
Thanks
PS Phil W, glad Friday went ok
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Second hand scooters can be a bit difficult, they're treated like disposable goods so don't get serviced very often, if at all. It's worth having a chat with your local dealer to see what he's got in, and what's been serviced. A bag full of brochures will let you compare the boot sizes and engine power.
I'd go for a 125 scooter, which you can ride after your CBT. Fuel economy isn't much worse than a 50cc and they'll usually do between 60 and 75mph which is handy.
The Gilera runner is supposed to be a good ride and the Gilera DNA looks great unless you're tall. If I remember right, the Honda Dylan has only got about 11bhp, where some other 125s have got the full 14.6bhp you're allowed by law.
I went for a Honda Varadero 125 bike instead of a scooter, it's got a great feel, looks good and was absolutely faultless between 4000 and 7000 miles when I owned it. I also sold it for the same as I bought it. A 45 litre Givi rack gives enough space for 2 crash helmets, one helmet and a big jacket or a shopping basket full to the brim.
Have you checked that scooters and motorbikes are allowed in the buslanes? Not all buslanes permit this.
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Mare, have you ever read any of sniffpetrol's scooter campaign? :D
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After owning a few scooters, I would no doubt recommend a Honda scooter. They are by far the most reliable, and do around 80 mpg. I have owned a Yamaha Majesty, which was very reliable and gave up at 20,000 miles. I now have a Kymco CK125 (basically a Honda) and apart from a coil failure it is absolutely brilliant. Starts first time and in 5 months I have managed 9000 kms and an average 110 mpg.
I think the Dylan is a very good bike, and they are very well built so should last a long time. Maintainance wise, motorbikes are a lot easier to maintain but looking at the Dylan most parts seem quite accessible.
As long as you ride carefully, change the oil and spark plugs regularly (more than a car!), you could be commuting for a decade without much trouble on one scooter.
After owning a motorbike (CK125) and scooters, I prefer scooters for comfort, protection, storage, but maintainance is slightly more difficult as access is limited. I bought my motorbike to try and get round the maintainance really and have managed ok so far. And the CG125 based engines are very reliable...they go on and on, I have seen some with 50000 miles on the clock!
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Mare, have you ever read any of sniffpetrol's scooter campaign? :D
No, must look into that....
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If you do get one please make it a four stroke for the sake of the poor motorists who have to drive behind you in a cloud of smoke.
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If I were you I wouldn't spend too much on a 125 Scooter. I would get a cheapo 100 or 125 motorbike until you pass your test. Dynamically they are much better than scooters, although I will concede that you don't get the weather protection.
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I went for a Honda Varadero 125 bike instead of a scooter, it's got a great feel, looks good and was absolutely faultless between 4000 and 7000 miles when I owned it. I also sold it for the same as I bought it.
Ditto. Gorgeous machines - only thing to be careful of, is the cooling system is too efficient - mine kept turning the oil to something resembling yoghurt in the winter! (Checked the HG etc)
They feel far safer than any scooter I've ever ridden, much better brakes, handling, etc. And 200 miles to a tenner!
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I dislike posts where someone says 'please give me advice on x' and someone writes 'buy a y'. However I am going to partially commit this sin.
If you want a scooter then buy Honda. Build quality is way above above everything else. The BMW C1 is a very expensive dog and is not frankly even that well built.
However. Scooters have small wheels which makes then susceptible to bumps and potholes and we all know heat state the roads are in now. They are also low down which makes them less stable and you less visible. A motorcycle is a far better option. The Varadaro 125 is an excellent choice for those restricted to such bikes. Once you pass your test the ideal bike for commuting is a mid size trailie say between 400 and 650. And against Mister Honda will have something that meets your needs.
Plus buy a HV jacket and wear it!
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I dislike posts where someone says 'please give me advice on x' and someone writes 'buy a y'.
Sorry. But at least I suggested a Varadero 125, not a Mondeo diesel.
I was looking at scooters too when I eventually went for a 125 bike, and a Varadero is nothing like the worn out CG125s at the CBT place! Worth a test ride if you can.
For big wheel scooters, the Dylan is the modern equavalent of the Honda C90, still in service with Pizza delivery places across the country, and every black cab driver in London will have used one for the Knowledge. The C90 would probably a motoring icon if they weren't still being abused so much!
It's worth remembering that scooters are a very popular theft target, so have a chat with people at your place of work to see how they secure their scooters or bikes. An Almax chain, decent lock and strapping it to a secured post is best.
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Thanks, i feel happier with a Japanese bike. Unrelated, but we've had a Nissan for seven years with no hiccups.
By the sound of it, i'm looking for a big wheel scooter. Thanks for the feedback. Eventually i may go onto a bigger bike, but i guess i'm hesitating because i'm going down the bike route because the traffic is forcing me that way, rather than some unfuldilled desire.
Security is an issue more for home. Work car park is reasonably secure, but the bike will be on a driveway in full view. I can chain it to some railings though.
Thanks again.
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I often wondered what a scooter would be like to ride, and never sat on one till earlier this year when I checked out a Peugeot Vivacity for a neighbour who was selling her late husbands model.
Compared to a bike it was bleedin' awful! No matter how good they are, you are perched on the things as opposed to sitting astride, so the handling has a horrible top heavy feel, like balancing on furniture castors. The centrifugal clutch does not cut in until you have around 2000 rpm, and trying to hold the sweet spot while performing low speed manouvres is difficult and very snatchy. The Honda scoot is around £500 dearer than a CG125, heavier, slower and more thirsty. About the only advantage is they keep your feet dry and you have some storage space, but both of those can be overcome with the right gear and the whole package will still be a fair bit cheaper.
Security wise, a scooter is more attractive to a thief having a ready yoof market, and a bike is easier to secure anyway.
All in all, a bad introduction to two wheels.
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I agree.......great bikes.
The overcooling issue can be cured by fitting a more efficent breather pipe and blanking of the rad!
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Mare,
Did you ever get the bike ?
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